- Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system reacts to something that is usually harmless such as pollens from plants.
- Symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, runny nose or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, nose, mouth or throat.
- You are not alone in your battle with seasonal allergies! In 2018, 19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children in the U.S. were diagnosed with seasonal allergies.
5 Natural Ways to Get Relief from Your Allergies:
1. Limit or avoid exposure.
- Pollen Count. If you are aware of your particular allergies, you can look up the pollen count in your area: https://www.pollen.com/forecast/current/pollen. When the pollen count is high, stay inside (if possible), keep windows & doors closed.
- HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter
in your bedroom and main living area or a whole house filter can be helpful. HEPA filters work by removing particles from the air by forcing it through screens with microscopic pores.
- Indoor house plants
to purify the air: Gerber daisy, snake plant, English Ivy, Areca palm, peace lily, spider plant & dragon plant.
2. Clear Your Nasal Passages.
- Nasal irrigation
with warm saline, distilled or boiled water and sea salt (don’t use regular table salt—it is processed) twice a day can also be helpful to remove the pollens from your nasal mucosa or the lining of your nasal passages. You can either use a nasal irrigation bottle or a Neti Pot. I would recommend watching the video first, before trying. If you have never done this before, it is a little awkward and feels really weird the first time. Here is an instructional video on how to perform nasal irrigation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgsRmkBxWCc
- Sinus spray
such as ION Sinus (formally known as Restore) rinses off the dust and pollen from your nasal passages. ION Sinus originates from naturally derived ancient minerals from soil, so there are no additives or chemicals.
3. Natural Supplements & Botanicals.
- Stinging Nettle: recommended in freeze-dried capsule form. Used to treat symptomatic symptoms, not a prevention for seasonal allergies. Recommended dosage is 1-2 capsules every 2-4 hours as needed.
- Butterbur: 4-5 doses daily is recommended.
- Bioflavonoids
such as quercetin and rutin (compounds found in lots of vegetables & fruits—which give them their bright colors). Recommended dosage is every 4-6 hours.
4. De-stress.
Did you know that stress by itself causes your immune system to overreactive and cause inflammation, leading to a flare up of seasonal allergies? How can you de-stress and find your calm? Regular self care. Self care looks a little different for everyone, since we are all unique and find calm in different ways.
- Schedule time for daily rest. Going for a walk outside, praying/meditation, working out, reading a book, taking a bath are just a few examples.
- Sleep. Are you getting restful sleep? Sticking to a schedule—going to bed and getting up at the same time is important. Are you getting good quality sleep?
5. Don’t Neglect Your Gut Health.
Most of your immune system is in your gut. If your gut is not in good shape, it will cause your immune system to be ticked off and your seasonal allergies to worsen!
🥕 Eat earth made foods
& a rainbow of produce—heavy on the veggies. Stay away from foods with added sugars, box foods and soda.
💦 Hydrate
with water!
🍑 Eat organic. If you are not able to buy everything organic, buy at least these produce organic: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and hot peppers (https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php).
Do you need help getting your seasonal allergies tamed down or improving gut health? Schedule a FREE 15 minute Strategy Call
to learn more about your symptoms and how functional medicine could benefit you in your journey to optimal health. Call 970-305-0101 or email at
Staff@NewBeginningsFMC.com.
*Please consult your doctor before taking any supplements to see if certain supplements are right for you.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/allergies.htm
https://medshadow.org/indoor-allergies-plants-might-be-the-answer-harmful-pollutants-and-allergens/
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
Weil, Andrew, Mind Over Meds. 1st ed. New York: Little, Brown and Company; 2018. 67-68 pgs.
